"We're really getting to the point where its going to be as cold as it ever gets in this part of the country," Izzi said. "This may seem obvious, but if you are heading outside, cover any exposed skin. It will freeze in a matter of minutes."

There's really only one place to be in such weather: indoors, in a heated environment.

Technicians from Temperature Doctors Heating & Cooling has been making furnace repairs nonstop, and the calls are expected to keep coming for as long as the deep freeze remains.

"In this type of weather, everything is considered an emergency," owner Marcus Pickett said. "We'll have calls starting at 2 or 3 in the morning, and we'll do whatever we have to do to get these customers heat."

As much as 5 inches of snow was expected to fall roday, with a blast of arctic air Sunday that will send temperatures well below zero. Wednesday is the earliest that it's expected to get above zero in Rockford.

Furnace repairmen are not the only ones responding to frequent calls.

State Police Sgt. Rich Strain said record cold weather, high winds and drifting snow brings troopers out in force on all major intra- and interstate roads, looking for stranded motorists.

"We'll take them to some place like a gas station, an oasis, district headquarters. Or they can wait out a tow truck, but we prefer to get them off the roads when we can," he said.

Action Towing driver Scott Peterson attached a cable Saturday afternoon to a small Honda and pulled it off a snowbank on Old Colony Bend, an unplowed residential street.

"You'd be surprised at how many don't even make it out of the driveway," he said. "Cars in ditches and accidents are our top two calls. With the recent cold, you get a lot of breakdowns, too."

Page 2 of 2 - His advice for commuting in the snow and cold? Don't.

"Stay home. But if you have go out, go slow and give yourself twice the time."